The truth of the empty tomb

Intro

thursday we talked about the sacrafice Jesus made on the cross

and we dont have easter sunday without the cross

and we dont have easter without the ressurection

I always laugh when people say that they dont believe in Jesus

especially because our entire modern world recognizes Jesus

Our universal calendar ,

Most continents holidays revolve around christ

the 3 major religions of the world revolve around Christ

and then you always have that man who says

He was just a good teacher

and then I laugh even more

because this good teacher said He was going to raise from the dead 3 days after He was murdered

and then it happened

and so for you to not believe in the resurection

means that you think JEsus is a liar

and paul is a liar

and matthew is a liar

and John is a liar

now one of the best evidences we have to this event being true

is the eye witness accounts

guess who was there

the apostale John

Guess who saw the risen Jesus

John

Guess Who wrote the gospel of John

John

We have these accounts from Jesus best friends

and the were written down and copied

and then written down

and then copied

and then written down

and you get the point .…

this is why when we find manuscripts of the bible

that are dated many years apart from eachother

and they are saying the same thing.…

we have good

very good evidence of these historical facts

Now If you were with The apostales

and you saw everything they did

and someone said recant your message of Jesus

or we are going to tie you to a horse and drag you through the streets

would you recant?

READ how each apostle died

They went to their death because they saw the crucified Jesus Christ

and the Risen Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 15:5–6 “and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”

The risen Jesus Appeared to over 500 people after His ressurection

So when people ask us why we follow Jesus

one of those answers must be because He is Risen from the dead

there is no other option but to follow Him

Because He is the Son of God

and because of that He has my heart

Now I want you to focus on the truth

The truth is the most important thing we can go after

in a world that has a thousand lies being fed to you

there is but one truth

and what does the bible say about JEsus pertaining to truth

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

truth about red lights ——- you stop

truth about excersise——-healthy

truth about studying——-learn

truth about God, How do you know who God is ??——- Jesus

Why do we believe Jesus is the son of God ? rose from the dead …

Where do we get that truth ?? eyewitness accounts and sources close to Jesus and His apostles.…

Islam says alot about JEsus —— written 600 years after Jesus resurection by muhamed ——- the only way we can check that info is if it matches with the eyewitness accounts.

they believe He was the greatest prophet but rejects Jesus as the son of God

How do muslims know who God is

they follow muhammed

Who would you rather listen to

Jesus best friends account

or a man who claims revelation from God that contradicts the rest of the bible,,,

you see how our faith hangs truth ..… \

and do you understand that faith is not blind

We have very good reasons to believe what we believe

now lets dig into the scripture a bit

to further unravel the truth behind the empty tomb

John 20:1–10 “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise…”

Mary and 2 other women went to the tomb first after the sabbath

remember there are 3 other accounts of the ressurection

matthew, mark, luke

all tell the same story from a different writers point of view…

more evidence of truth

if 4 people witness a crime

and they all write the exact same thing with all the same exact details

do you know what that tells dectives

its a lie and they conspired to tell a lie

the diiferent accounts give validation to truth

We also learn form this that John is faster than peter

its like if me and one of you guys ran to the tomb.… I would get there first

and everyone would know that I am faster and more athletic

John and Peter see the tomb is empty

yet they did not put it together that He said He would rise from the dead in His teachings

John 20:11–18 “But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”…”

MAry is in the same boat as peter and John

They think the romans or someone else has stolen the body of Jesus

and 2 angels are at the tomb telling her not to worry because Jesus has risen

now make sure you set the scene properly

this is an amazing thing happening here

MAry is distraught and mourning and talking to angels is awe

and then Jesus Appears to Mary…

She doesnt think it could be Him

until He calls her name

and in that she knows It is My Jesus

He is Alive

and here Jesus says something special

Go and tell my brothers —- the apostles

endearing

I am ascending——going to be taken into heaven alive

to my father and your father to My God and Your God

establishing the relationship

your sin has been paid for

that same relationship I have with the father is now yours!!

John 20:19–25 “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.””

Jesus now reveals Himself to the apostales

and He commisions them in a sense

I am sending you in a similar way my father sent me

preach the gospel

that Jesus dies for sin and rose from the grave 3 days later as our representative

and if we trust Him we will be saved

yet there is a doubter in the bunch

His name is Thomas

Now when you have doubts

keep following Jesus

and when you see Him show up in your life

you can be reminded He is risen…

Each time He shows up in my life I am reminded He is here

He is for me

and He is alive

John 20:26–31 “And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Thomas gets to see the risen Jesus

and tells him you believe because you see

blessed are those who dont see and believe

thats you.…

Jesus has ascended into heaven

and sits a t the right hand of God the father

meaning He is reigning with God the father as king

He is alive

He is risen.

and He is calling you to believe on His name

for eternal life with Him in a perfect and sinless kingdom

we see the end of the ressurection story

why John is writing this

John 20:31 “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

so that you may believe and have life in His name

q. Why is this ressurection story so Great

Jesus is our representative

Jesus rose from the dead

as a representative

that you as a believer will have the same out come

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 ““O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

any trouble you may have in this world ,

remember you will have a new and perfect body

a new and perfect mind at the resurection

this is one of the great rewards

remember this is not our final destination

I also want us to see the greatness of

Jesus having a perfect faith

Jesus will overcome your doubts

all of the disciples in thiss story doubted

do you think its normal to have doubts?

yes

Do you want to have doubts no…

but I promise you as you continue to follow JEsus

and you really pursue Him

as your relationship with Jesus deepens

the doubts become less

Why ?

because HE proves Himself more and more in your life

if your dating someone

and everytime you mess up

they keep putting you down

what are they proving to you ?

If you date someone and everytime

you screw up

they love you, and encourage you

What are they proving to you.

you will notice God will not always do what you want Him to

but He will always have your back.

and you come to the point where you are like Thomas

you may has well have put your hands in the nail marks

but you must continue to pursue Him

If you do not pursue Him with great tenacity

the same type of pursuit that led the apostles and women to the tomb

then you cant expect Him to overcome the attacks of the enemy

and lastly

in the ressurection

we see

Jesus is Alive

muhammed dead

buddah dead

michael jordan dead

taylor swift will be dead eventually

who was the leading seller of music 150 years ago… exactly

they are all dead or going to die

their souls are still alive and awaiting judgment

however Jesus is the only one who has died as a man

was ressurected and ascended into heaven

He is our God

as Tomas sees him and says my Lord and My God

our God is alive

Q. Will you start living in relationship with Him?

in this room He is alive

in your prayer He is alive

in your meditation and in your reading, He is alive

we can experience Him

because HE is alive

and His desire is to live with you

lets turn to Him, Our Living God

and live our life for Him and with HIm